Oscillating means for radiant heaters



OSCILLATING MEANS FOR RADIANT HEATERS Filed DeG. 30, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Feb. l1, 1941. 1 s. HARRISON OSCILLATING MEANS FOR RADIANT HEATERS Filed Dec. 30, 1958 4 Sheets-Shveet 2 lllll H Il Ob 155ML ATTORNEYS Feb. 11, 1941. 1 s. HARRISON OSCILLATING MEANS FOR RADIANT HEATEHS 28 L m J www .W5 R Y mmnm NONTR WM# o No, w .IH/Ud A cv.. man um Z Il n@ W l d y MVM/W3 Fb. I1, 1941. l.. s, HARRISON zfzfm OSCILLATING MEANS FOR RADIANT HEATERS Filed Deo. 30, 1938 4 SheQts-Sheec 4 Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f OSCILLATING MEANS FOR RADIANT HEATERS `Laurence S. Harrison, Bronxville, and Allen A. Canton, New York, N. Y., assignors to Technical Research Products Corporation,

New York,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to dirigible means for radiant electric heaters and the like and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art. In particular the invention aims to provide s improved means and method for controlling the position of heat emitting means by and in accordance with the heat emitted.

Radiant electric heaters, as found on the market at present, do not distribute heat but pro- J'ect it in a fixed limited zone with the result that there is an undue concentration of heat directly in front of the reiiector and an almost complete absence of heat at all other places. For serving one person in a fixed position or for merely tempering the atmosphere in a cold room, a fixed radiant heater has some value, but it is far from being adequate or satisfactory Where more spread and less concentration of heat are desired. It is quite common to shift a radiant heater by hand at frequent intervals in order to serve more Ithan one or two people, and these usually take turns being scorched or frozen before the heater can be shifted.

There are also other devices supplying heat either purposely or incidentally which require oscillation or orientation and which can usefully employ the present invention. Searchllights may be mentioned as an example.

Heretof-ore it has been Iproposed to serve radiant heaters -by blowers or fans to avoid undue concentration of heat. It has also been proposed 4to employ motors for oscillating the heaters, the motors often being employed for operating fans. Forksuch devices there may be a distinct field, but they are quite expensive and heavy and the motors often overheat or become oil-dry because of ,their proximity to the heating elements and the necessary metal mountings.

The present invention provides oscillating ilar devices, which is very simple, light, durable and inexpensive; which can be adjusted as to speed of action or rendered inoperative at will; and which is entirely reliable in service.

According to the invention the oscillation is produced by the radiated heat of .the heating element itself, and requires only a small portion of this heat for only part `of the time. This avoids the use of motors and other devices which consume relatively large amounts of current continuously and which besides are expensive, heavy and bulky.

The invention will best be understood by reference to an illustrative embodiment which is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

means for radiant heaters, searchlights and sim- (Cl. ZIB-34) Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a radiant electric heater embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a partial enlarged vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the trip mechanism, the viewlbeing taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a left side elevation of Fig. 5 or an enlargement of a .portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is an elevational view taken on the line 'I-l of Fig. 3, showing the shutter mounting.

Referring to the drawings, the device includes a base i0, a. pedestal II, a reflector I2, a resistance heating `device I3, a guard I4, an escutcheon casing I5, a casing or cover I6 for the oscillating mechanism, and a lifting handle I1. The pedestal may be hinged upon a pivot pin I8 in order that the reflector may be tilted at various angles about a horizontal axis. As shown in Fig. 3, the heating device I3 maybe threaded into a receptacle I9 connected to a source of electric current. In Fig. 2 an electr-ic cord 20 is shown for connecting thedevice with an electric circuit.

Again referring to Fig. 3, the receptacle I9 is secured in the front wail I2a or reflector proper of the-reflector I2, and the rear wall I2b is used as a supporting means for the front Wall and for certain related mechanism for oscillating the heating device, as will be presently described.

The supporting wall I2b is secured, as by a bolt 23 and nut 24, to a mounting piece 25 which is rotatably mounted on a swivel post 26 fixed-ly secured in the upper end of the pedestal II, as by a set screw 21. The mounting piece 2-5 is retained on the swivel post 26 by a castel-lated headed member or bull ring gear 28 which may be formed integrally on the post 26; or, as shown, it may have a projection which is threaded into the upper end of the post and held by a pin 29. The member 28 may be secured to the post 26 before the post is Ipassed through the hole or bearing in the mounting piece 25 and lplaced in the bore of the pedestal. A Iball bearing race 30 and a bearing Washer 3| may be placed between the mounting piece 25 and the upper end of the pedestal to facilitate easy osci-llatory movement.

Means are provided for oscillating the reflector and associated parts, this oscillating means preferably being operated by heat radiated from the heating device I3. As shown herein, the oscillating means is operated directly by power created by radiant heat, but it may be operated by secondary power, if desired, and merely receive its power initiating impulses from the source of heat or light radiation of the heating device i3.

The oscillating means may take its reaction from the bull ring gear 28 which, as stated, is rigidly secured to the top of the pedestal Conveniently, the relative movement is produced by a gear segment 35 fixed on an oscillating shaft 36 which is rotatably -mounted in spaced bearings in upstanding portions 25a and 25h of the mounting piece 25.

The front end of the oscillating shaft 3S operates escapement mechanism for controlling the action of a radiation regulating shutter 31 mounted adjacent slits 33, 39 in the reector walls |2a, |25; while the central portion of the shaft carries a fixed arm 40 through which the shaft is actuated by a connecting member 4| of a power device 42 responsive to the presence or absence of radiant energy passing through the slits 38, 3e. The U-shaped shutter 31 may be formed of a exible heat-resistant material such as mica, if desired.

The power device 2 may assume various forms, one type of which may be a thermostat of some kind. The power means shown herein comprises a thermostat proper 43 such as a container for liquid, a tube 44 for conveying the liquid from the container, and an expansion power applying device in the form of a Sylphon bellows 45 receiving liquid from the tube. The thermostat container 43 and the Sylphon bellows 45 are moimted on brackets 45, 41 secured within the escutcheon casing I 5. The bellows 45 is provided with a connecting rod 48 guided in an opening in a fixed bracket 49 and this rod carries the connecting member 4|, previously referred to, which actuates the shaft arm 43.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 7, the shutter 31 is shown to be formed as a U-shaped member pivoted at 52 and 53 to the front and rear Walls |2a, 21: of the reiiector beneath the slits 38 and 39. An arm 55| secured to the lower edge of the shutter serves to operate the same from a vertically reciprocating shutter operating link 55. The link 55 is mounted in loose fitting slots in the spaced arms of a bracket G' secured to the rear wall |217 of the refiector.

It will be observed that when the U-shaped shutter swings down from its vertical position it will at once cease to bind against the spaced reiiectcr walls except at its lower ends, though it may have enough spring to maintain a tight t at its lower ends to avoid noise.

It will also be clear that when the shutter is in its lower position the slits 33 and 39 are open whereby to permit the passage of radiant heat from the heating device |3 to the thermostat 43. This heat causes the fluid within the thermostat container to expand into the tube 44 and the Sylphon bellows 45, thus operating the shaft 3S in one direction. When the shutter closes he slits the thermostat no longer receives radiant heat from the heating device I3 and begins to cool. The cooling is assisted by an induced flow of cool air through the escutcheon casing by the provision of air inlet openings 51 in the lower part of the escutcheon casing and air outlet openings 58 in the upper part of the casing. The Sylphon beilows is resilient and tends to contract as the fluid cools to force the huid back into the thermostat container and simultaneously oscillate the shaft in the other direction.

The shaft 36 operates the escapement mechanism which controls the movement of the shutter. This assures that the reflector will make a full stroke in one direction before it reverses direction and makes a full stroke in the other direction. This escapement mechanism is shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Near its front end the oscillating shaft carries fast thereon an oscillating depending arm 60 to the lower end of which a leaf spring 6| is secured as by rivets G2. Conveniently the arm 60 is provided with a forwardly extending finger 63 to which the spring is riveted. On the extreme front end of the shaft 36 there is loosely mounted a shutter operating lever 64. rlhis lever is provided with two spaced pairs of spaced ngers 65a, E51) which extend forward beyond the end of the shaft 36 and loosely receive the leaf spring 6|. For smooth action the pairs of fingers are placed at equal distances from and on opposite sides of the axis of the shaft 36. The spring, being secured against axial or edgewise movement because it is fastened by two rivets, as shown in Fig. 6, prevents the lever 64 from coming oi the end of the shaft 36.

The lever 6-4 is provided with an arm 64a to which the shutter operating link 55 is connected and an arm 64b which cooperates with an escapement verge 66 rotatably mounted on a xed stud 61 secured to the front upstanding portion 25E-o of the mounting piece 25. The Verge 66 is constantly urged toward a central position by a spring pin 68 which passes through a hole in the end of the stud 61 and through holes in lugs S9 formed on the verge on opposite sides of the stud axis. The pin also serves' to retain the verge on the stud. The pin may be retained in the lugs in any suitable manner, as by having its upper end bent, as shown.

The central position of the verge 68 is slightly to the right, in anti-clockwise direction, of the position in which it appears in Fig. 5. In the Fig. 5 position the verge has just been pushed to the left to permit operation of the shutter actuating lever 64.

The verge comprises two arms and 1 I, carrying at their respective lower ends the laterally extending escapement ears 12, 13 which cooperate with a laterally extending retaining ear 14 formed on the latch arm 64b of the lever 64. The arm 54h is formed integrally with the shutter operating arm 64a of the lever 64.

Means are provided for tripping the verge 66 to time the shutter operation. The means shown comprises a cam arm which is rigidly secured to the oscillating shaft 35, as by being formed integrally with the oscillating arm 60 which carries the spring 5|. The end of the cam arm 15 has a rounded nose which is positioned in the plane of the arms 10 and 1| of the verge. The inner edges of the arms 10 and 1| are formed with cam siufaces 16a and 1|a which are disposed in the path of the end of the cam arm 15. In Fig. 5 the arm 15 has just acted upon the cam lia to push the Averge to the left.

Shortly thereafter the oscillating shaft reverses direction and moves the oscillating spring supporting arm 6E) and the cam arm 15 to the left, i. e., clockwise. This causes the cam arm 15 to release the arm 1| of the verge and permit it to move to the right, i. e., anti-clockwise, until the ear 13 thereof is directly above the top of the ear 14 of the latch arm Mb. The spring supporting arm G now continues to move in a clockwise direction; but the lever 84 cannot turn because its latch arm 64b is held by the verge ear el O 13, as stated. What happens, therefore, is that the spring 6| is bent to put the arm 64 under tension. As the arm 60 moves further the cam arm 15 advances correspondingly until it engages the cam 16a of the upper verge arm 10 and moves the verge in an anti-clockwise direction from` its central position. This moves the ear 13 beyond the inner edge of the ear T4 of the latch arm 64b yand releases the latter. The spring tension causes it to move upward and carry the arm 64a downward to open the shutter.

When the latch arm reaches the upper position the lower side of its ear 'i4 engages the outer side of the ear 12 of the upper verge arm This holds the latch arm in upper position while the spring arm. 60 and the cam arm 15 move to lower position yand the latter, by action on cam` surface Ha of verge arm 1|, releases the latch arm. This brings the parts back t the position in which they appear in Fig. 5, meanwhile closing the shutter. It is to be noted that the ear 14 of the latch arm is always en-4 gaged from its outer edge and disengaged from its inner edge. Stated another way, the ears I2 and 13 of the Verge engage the latch ear 14 from their inner or adjacent edges and release it from their outer or distant edges.

It has already been seen how the opening and closing of the shutter energizes an-d de-energizes the thermostat; how this oscillates the shaft 36 and how the gear segment 35 of the shaft, acting against the xed bull ring gear, causes the reflector and heating element to oscillate a certain distance in one direction and then to return. This continues as long as the heating element remains energized.

A rib 16 is provided on the rear upstanding portion 25h of the mounting piece 25 for retaining the removable cover I 5 and the escutcheon casing I5.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides very simple, eiiicient and inexpensive oscillating mechanism. There are few parts and these are of a type having little wear or likelihood of getting out of order. Moreover, all parts are extremely light. The oscillations are produced by and in accordance with the heat given off by the heating element itself. This heat is taken off through a very small opening in the reflector and for only part of the time, which detracts but slightly from the total heat given off by the reilector and detracts even less from the appearance of the heater, the small opening being scarcely noticeable. The scheme of deriving oscillations from` the energy of the heating element itself avoids the use of motors or other devices which use large amounts of current and which besides are expensive, heavy and bulky and subject to impairment because of being used in proximity to the high temperature heating element. In general, it appears that the device provided by the invention and the method of operation constitute a distinct advance in the art. It will be understood that when heat is referred to throughout the specifica-tion and claims that it includes as its equivalent, light, which may be admitted and cut off from an energizing unit by a shutter or in which the energizing unit may be moved into or out of the range of the source of heat, this including light, in timed relationship with and as a means of producing the oscillation.

While one embodiment of the invention has been particularly described, it is to be understood that the invention may be variously embodied within the limits of the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim as our invention:

l. Oscillating mechanism for heat radiating devices, comprising in combination, a heat radiating element, an oscillating mounting for said element, means responsive to the heat of said heat radiating element for controlling the po-- sition of said oscillating mounting, and means controlling the passage of heat from said element to said means.

2. Oscillating mechanism for heat radiating devices, comprising in combination, a heat radiating element, an oscillating mounting for said element, means responsive to and deriving power from the heat of said heat radiating element for controlling the position of said oscillating mounting, and means controlling the passage of heat from said element to said means.

3. Oscillating mechanism for heat radiating devices, comprising in combination, a heat radiating element, an oscillating mounting for said element, a thermostat power device for operating said oscillating mounting, and means for controlling the pass-age of radiant heat from said element to said thermostat power device for energizing or de-energizing the latter from the former and thereby controlling the operation of said oscillating mounting.

4. Oscillating mechanism` for heat radiating devices, comprising in combination, a heat radiating element, an oscillating mounting for said element, a thermostat power device for operating said oscillating mounting, means for controlling `the passage of radiant heat from said element to said thermostat power device for energizing or de-energzing the latter from the former and thereb-y operating the oscillating mounting, and means also operated by said thermostat power device for controlling the action of said heat passage controlling means.

5. An oscillating radiant heater, comprising in combination, a base, a reflector oscillatably mounted on said base, a heating element mounted in front of said reflector, a thermostat power device adapted to be operated by heat radiated from, said heating element, said power device being mounted behind said reflector within the range of heat from said heating element, a shutter in said reflector between said power device and said heating element, means for cscillating said reilector and heating element in response to the action of the power device produced by heat radiated to said power device from said heating element, and snap action means also operated in response to the action of said power device for operating said shutter.

6. An oscillating radiant heater, comprising in combination, a base, a pedestal, a iixed ring gear mounted on said pedestal, a mounting piece oscillatably mounted on said pedestal, an oscillating shaft mounted on said mounting piece, a gear segment mounted on said oscillating shaft and cooperating with said ring gear for oscillating the mounting piece, a front reilector wall, a heating element, a rear reector wall mounted on said mounting piece, an escutcheon casing behind saidv rear reflector wall, a fluid filled thermostat container mounted in said escutcheon casing, said casing having cooling openings for said container, said reflector walls having slits for admitting heat from said heater element to said thermostat container, a shutter for alternately opening and closing said slits, a Sylphon bellows operated by fluid from and latch arm for putting cumulative tension on the latch arm, when held, from said spring arm, a verge normally biased to hold said latch arm in extreme positions, and means cooperating between said cam arm and said verge for releasing said latch arm at each end of the spring arm stroke, said spring causing said latch and shutter operating arms to snap to opposite position.

LAURENCE S. HARRISON.

ALLEN A. CANTON. 

